Photophysical properties and laser performance of photostable UV laser dyes

The photophysical properties such as singlet absorption and fluorescence spectra, the fluorescence quantum yield and fluorescence decay time as well as the laser performance data such as the tuning range, the conversion efficiency, and the photochemical stability of 12 sterically hinderedp-quaterphenyls have been measured in ethanol and/or dioxane at room temperature. The sterically hinderedp-quaterphenyls exhibit shorter laser dye emissions in the 330–380 nm range than the parent compoundp-quaterphenyl. The conversion efficiencies of the sterically hinderedp-quaterphenyls range between 1 and 21%. The photochemical stability of the sterically hinderedp-quaterphenyls is by a factor of 10 to 20 better in dioxane than in ethanol. 2-Methyl-5-tert. butyl-p-quaterphenyl and 2,5,2‴,5‴-tetramethyl-p-quaterphenyl are among the most stable UV laser dyes known today.